A DVC (digital video camera), which is compliant with DV format proposed by HD Digital VCR Conference, is conventionally known. The DV format defines HD (High Definition), SD (Standard Definition) and SDL (Standard Definition Long).
Also, at the present, a video recorder which records compressed video data in a plurality of different compression formats on the same recording medium (e.g., a magnetic tape) has been proposed. For example, in the Patent Document 1 (the specification of Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2001-275076), a video recorder is proposed, in which standard definition video data are compressed in accordance with the DV format, high definition video data are compressed in accordance with the MPEG2 format, and both of the compressed data are recorded on the same recording medium. In the present specification, standard definition video data compressed in DV format are called “SD video data”, and high definition video data compressed in MPEG2 format are called “HD video data”.
Also, there is a DVC which is able to be connected to a serial bus compliant with IEEE 1394 standard (refer to the Nonpatent Literature 1 (IEEE Std 1394-1995, IEEE Std 1394a-2000) and the like), and is compliant with AV/C Tape Recorder/Player Subunit defined by 1394 Trade Association (for example, refer to the Nonpatent Literature 2 (“TA Document 2001017, AV/C Tape Recorder/Player Subunit Specification 2.2, Dec. 11, 2001, 1394 Trade Association”)). Such DVC can be also controlled from PC (personal computer).
Also a PC is able to recognize a status of a DVC that is compliant with AV/C Tape Recorder/Player Subunit. For example, the PC can obtain the format of data output from DVC by using OUTPUT PLUG SIGNAL FORMAT status command as shown in FIG. 2 (refer to the Nonpatent Literature 3 (“AV/C Digital Interface Command Set General Specification Version 4.0, 1394 Trade Association”))
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2001-275076
Nonpatent Literature 1: IEEE Std 1394-1995, IEEE Std 1394a-2000
Nonpatent Literature 2: TA Document 2001017, AV/C Tape Recorder/Player Subunit Specification 2.2, Dec. 11, 2001, 1394 Trade Association
Nonpatent Literature 3: AV/C Digital Interface Command Set General Specification Version 4.0, 1394 Trade Association